PURPOSE

The Department of Agriculture registers commercial weighing and measuring devices used throughout Maryland to ensure that consumers receive the correct amounts of products they purchase. All scales and meters used during sales transactions where products are bought or sold must be registered each year.

Types of businesses that may need to have devices registered include gasoline stations, grocery stores, deli’s, candy stores, jewelry stores, Laundromats, package shipping stores, quarries, hardware stores, home heating oil companies, propane distributors and other businesses that buy or sell commodities by weight, measure, or count.

AUTHORITY

STATE: Agriculture Article 11-204.2 to 11-204.7; COMAR 15.03.08

REQUIREMENTS

PRE-APPROVAL: An applicant calls (410) 841-5790 to notify the Department of Agriculture that a commercial weighing or measuring device, such as a scale, gasoline meter or grain moisture meter, has been placed into commercial service. Information required includes make, model, serial number and the number of devices installed.

All commercial weighing and measuring devices manufactured or installed in Maryland after October 1, 1992 must be approved by the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) operated by the National Conference on Weights & Measures (NCWM www.ncwm.net). Please contact the Department of Agriculture for more information.

APPLICATION PROCESS

An applicant submits the application form provided by the Department of Agriculture and pays the appropriate fee. Upon receipt of the application and fee, a certificate of registration is mailed to the applicant.

Register a device online here.

Register a device manually.  

PROCESSING TIME

AVERAGE: 10 days

FEE

Ranges from $12.50 to $300 depending on the type of device and how many devices. For example, the fee to register scales for weighing items up to 100 pounds is $20 per scale (up to a maximum of $325 per location) plus $50 per business location. The fee for scales used to weigh railroad cars is $300.

Registrations are renewed annually by May 31. Renewals must be received prior to May 31st.

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